Germain Amphitheater
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| Former names | Polaris Amphitheater (1994-2003) |
|---|---|
| Address | 2200 Polaris Parkway Columbus, OH 43240 |
| Coordinates | 40°08′57″N 82°57′30″W / 40.14917°N 82.95833°W |
| Owner | Live Nation (2005-07) |
| Capacity | 20,000 |
| Construction | |
| Opened | June 15, 1994 |
| Closed | October 5, 2007 |
| Demolished | 2012 |
The Germain Amphitheater (originally the Polaris Amphitheater) was a 20,000-seat outdoor entertainment venue located in Columbus, Ohio, near the suburb of Westerville. The venue opened as part of a large development venture off of I-71. There were 6,700 seats in an open-air pavilion—much of it under cover—and room for another 13,300 people on general admission lawn seating. The concert season began mid-May, continuing through early October and featured 20-30 concerts per year. At the time it opened, it was the largest and most suitable venue for concerts in central Ohio.
About
The amphitheater opened on June 15, 1994, with a concert by The Moody Blues and the Columbus Symphony Orchestra.[1] Since that time, it hosted some of the largest names in music including Janet Jackson, Aerosmith, Lilith Fair, Farmaid and Ozzfest. Toby Keith played the final show on September 16, 2007.
The venue was originally owned by Polaris Amphitheater Concerts, Inc.; a joint partnership between PromoWest Productions, Belkin Productions and Sunshine Promotions.[2] In 1997, ownership was purchased by SFX Entertainment.[2] In 2000, the building was owned by Clear Channel Entertainment, when the company brought out SFX Entertainment.[2] In 2005, Clear Channel was spun off into Live Nation, who owned the building from 2005 until its closing.[2] In February 2003, Germain Motor Company purchased a five-year sponsorship, renaming the venue Germain Amphitheater.[3]
On June 17, 1997 at Ozzfest, concert goers began throwing bottles at the stage, others smashed box office windows, started brush fires, kicked over a trash can, and overturned cars outside the amphitheater, after the announcement was made that Ozzy Osbourne would not perform.
Closing
After the 2007 season, the amphitheater closed. According to The Columbus Dispatch,[4] the rising real estate values were the main reason behind the sale. They also speculated competition from other similarly-sized venues such as Nationwide Arena, Value City Arena, Columbus Crew Stadium, and Lifestyle Communities Pavilion in the area may have contributed to the decline the in number of shows hosted by Germain Amphitheater in the years leading up to its closure. In 2007, only nine shows were scheduled, the fewest shows at the venue since it opened. Following the 2007 concert season the facility and property were auctioned for sale but received no bids from buyers.
After its closure, seats were uprooted,[5] and the venue was extensively looted and vandalized.[citation needed] The site was purchased by Polaris 91 LLC in January 2012 for $5.5 million. The structure was completely demolished by May 2012. Considerations for the site are an office complex, retail shopping center or multi-family residential space.[6]
On June 15, 2014, the Columbus Dispatch reported that site developer NP Limited was seeking state and local funding to build a road connecting the I-71/Gemini Place interchange to Worthington Road, passing through the former amphitheater site, in order to support future commercial and residential development of the 90-acre (360,000 m2) site and alleviate existing traffic congestion on Polaris Parkway.[7]
See also
References
- ^ "Polaris to attract top entertainers". Portsmouth Daily Times. Vol. 143, no. 14. Portsmouth, Ohio: Heartland Publications. April 5, 1994. p. A8. Retrieved November 1, 2013.
- ^ a b c d Ball, Brian R. (December 21, 2006). "Live Nation shopping Westerville amphitheater". Columbus Business First. Advance Publications. Retrieved November 1, 2013.
- ^ Everhart, Michelle (March 5, 2003). "Polaris is now Germain Amphitheater". Northland News. Vol. 32, no. 6. Columbus, Ohio: Suburban News Publications. p. 16. Retrieved November 1, 2013.
- ^ Proposed sale may mean demise of Germain Amphitheater[dead link]
- ^ "Germain in '08 Concerts still a possibility, amphitheater owners say". Columbus Local News. December 17, 2007. Retrieved 2008-01-05.[dead link]
- ^ Ball, Brian R. (January 18, 2012). "Germain Amphitheater site sold for redevelopment". Columbus Business First. Retrieved November 1, 2013.
- ^ Ferenchik, Mark (June 15, 2014). "Developer wants road at old Germain Amphitheater". Columbus Dispatch. Retrieved June 15, 2014.